PCWeek: Linux advocates push standardization effort

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"With more commercial vendors throwing their weight and
distribution plans behind the open-source software, Linux advocates
are looking for a way to avoid a Unix-like fragmentation of the
operating system.

The latest effort calls for commercial vendors and open-source
advocates to create a base set of libraries, APIs and
interoperability measures called LSB (Linux Standard Base).

LSB -- which IBM and four major Linux distributors endorsed at
LinuxWorld here this week -- would ensure that applications written
in one distribution of Linux will be portable to other versions.
Intel Corp. and Silicon Graphics Inc. are attempting to formalize
the unorganized LSB effort initiated by Dan Quinlan of Transmeta
Corp., the San Jose company that employs the inventor of Linux,
Linus Torvalds.

Officials at Hewlett-Packard Co. and Compaq Computer Corp. said
they would likely support the effort as well when it becomes more
organized."